


Impact

by Ulalume



Series: Argent Victor [3]
Category: SWTOR/Pacific Rim AU
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-11-06
Updated: 2013-11-06
Packaged: 2017-12-31 16:43:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1033970
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ulalume/pseuds/Ulalume
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nik starts to understand a little more about himself. This realization makes him reassess previous notions.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Impact

**Author's Note:**

> For much of his teen/adult life (he's a young 23/24 years), Nik hasn't had any romantic leanings and has assumed he's just not very interested in people, sex, or very close relationships in general. He's a bit surprised, a bit awed, that this is rapidly changing.
> 
> This follows First Aid: http://archiveofourown.org/works/1033964

The pain woke him, an insistent ache in his side as he turned over. Nik groaned quietly as he turned back to his less injured side and gingerly touched the bandages. Nat had done an excellent job of recovering the scrapes but he could tell some had loosened as he slept.

Nik worked his fingers methodically down his side, feeling the edges of the adhesive and flattening out any that had started to roll up. He slid a hand under the waistband of his underwear and continued checking the bandages, but stopped when his thumb brushed over his hip. Nik trembled slightly and closed his eyes, feeling the same odd rush of nerves when Gerry had bandaged him there.

 _I never knew I was ticklish there. How would I?_ he snorted softly. _It's not like anyone touches me. Still, it's absurd to find this out only now._ Nik continued to run his thumb over his hip, examining the odd sensations, a feeling like he was falling even though he was laying down.

 _It's not really ticklish,_ he decided. _It feels good, exhilarating, like when Gerry put his hands on my neck._ Again, that dropping feeling in his stomach, this time stronger, and he gasped quietly. The snores and creaks of cadets turning over in their beds around him suddenly seemed loud and Nik felt a flush along his body.  He quickly removed his hand from his hip, placing his palm against his heated face.

_I might be running a fever. I need more pain reliever._

Nik sat up slowly, his muscles protesting, and placed his feet on the floor. The cold shock against his feet chased away the muzzy thinking. He sighed and opened the bottle of pain reliever, downing another dose, then settled back into bed. As he repositioned his pillow, his hand knocked against the tablet. Gerry must have tucked it under his pillow when he left. A smile eased over his face.

 _He's a good friend. I must have fallen asleep before the movie ended. I hope he liked it..._ Nik's smile faded. _Am I that pathetic? Ridiculous. This stops now._

He used the techniques taught by the Kwoon instructors, concentrating on breathing deeply to let the thoughts run through him and out, clearing his mind for sleep. Yet there was one quiet thought that he refused to acknowledge, sweeping it out with the rest of the noise.

When Natalia had bandaged him, he hadn't had the same reactions. Not at all.


End file.
